December 14, 2022

Oleander is sitting on the front porch and thinking. A tv screen in the shade of the trees cuts into white.

Oleander looks up. "Uh... what?"

The screen rises out of the way as he sees Sparrow step out while wearing the cloak. The screen follows behind her. "Bad time?"

He shakes his head. "Not really. What's up?"

"Just wanted to see how you were doing. Gets quiet in the woods" Sparrow walks up and sits beside him. The screen stays in the shade of the trees

Oleander nods, "Doing okay I guess..." He messes with his clothes a bit. "It's cold'

"You don't like the cold?" Sparrow asks.

"I don't mind it." He shrugs.

"The cold is my favorite. Makes everything more crisp and new" Sparrow says.

He nods. "Yeah. That's the good thing about it. I like the crunching snow makes when you walk on it"

"Also I was wondering for no particular reason, how are the people here doing? I haven't really gotten to catch up with them all" Sparrow asks.

Oleander shrugs. "Okay, I think. I isolate a lot... it's a habit."

"Really? You too?" She looks over at him "It's not necessarily a bad thing"

He shrugs, looking down. "I guess not. Talking to people is hard. It's confusing and takes my energy most of the time." He explains, drawing something nondescript in the snow with his finger.

"Usually when I feel that way I lock myself in a room and wait till that feeling is gone"

Sparrow explains.

"I usually just go for a walk."

Oleander replies.

"Then run into more people? Get distracted? No, no dear. Find a good empty place. Where nothing can distract you from yourself while you figure things out"

Sparrow retorts.

Oleander shrugs. "Maybe. Don't know any place like that though."

"I have a wonderful place if you need to visit sometime! Found a simple cave and transformed it into my home of sorts. It's very isolated"

Sparrow offers.

"Could I see maybe?" Oleander tilts his head.

"Right now? I mean it's not that far- I uh haven't had a visitor yet"

Sparrow chuckles nervously.

Oleander shrugs. "Sure. If you want. You don't have to though-"

Sparrow gets up "uhhh ok ok, yeah I think the place isn't a mess right now" She quickly starts walking into the woods

Oleander follows.

Sparrow walks to an isolated cave in the woods with a wall and a door built into it. Oleander follows.

She heads inside and leaves the door open for them. She quickly puts away some personal belongings and tosses them into a corner out of the way.

Oleander looks around curiously.

It's a single room with a stolen chair with the price tag still on the side. In front of it is a tall mirror with a clearance sticker on the corner. Sparrow stands in front of the corner She had tossed a couple of belongings into and puts her hood down as She smiles.

"Huh. Cool-" He looks around. "Why the mirror?" He asks, tilting his head.

"Helps me take all other distractions out and focus on myself some. Really ignore everything overwhelming me" Sparrow explains.

Oleander nods. "I see. Makes sense I guess." He shrugs. "Cool cave. Very... cave."

"I know right? So cozy" Oleander notices it’s very cold in the cave as Sparrow says.

He nods. "Interesting..." He just kind of stands there awkwardly.

Sparrow stands there awkwardly as well for a long moment. "You want to meet a divulgar?"

"Uh... sure." Oleander shrugs.

Sparrow calls as if calling for a pet dog "Come here circuit, come here boy" a tv screen blicks the open door along with a mess of wires as an eye is displayed that looks at Oleander.

Oleander averts his eyes. "Uh.. hi"

"He won't bite," Sparrow reassures as a wire slithers into the room. Sparrow tosses a cracker from her cloak as the wire catches it. It brings the cracker out of view and after a bit, there's muffled munching.

Oleander approaches it cautiously. "H..hello?"

The eye looks happy as the screen tilts some to the side.

He reaches a hand out to let it... sniff? Can it even do that? Oleander asks

A wire pats his hand gently "See? He likes you" 

Oleander smiles a little and reaches out to try and pet

The screen is warm as it moves as if laughing bit makes no sound

pet pet pet!! Oleander smiles

His hand starts having a static feeling. "So this is called a ruby-throated slasher divulgar. Honestly one of my favorites."

"I see.. I don't know much about them. Besides that I'm supposed to help kill the zingers or something?" Oleander asks,

"The hell are zingers?" Sparrow asks, confused.

"Like... princes of hell, I guess? But for a hell-called happy-go-lucky?" Oleander explains.

"There's a new one?"

Sparrow asks, again confused.

Oleander shrugs. "I guess?"

"interesting" She jumps as She glances outside "Oh my! Deary me, I did not realize the time!"

Oleander raises an eyebrow. "Oh- should I leave?"

"If you have somewhere to be, id imagine the others may be worried."

Sparrow nods.

Oleander shrugs. "Maybe. Well it was good to see you,,"

"You too, we should chat again sometime. Maybe I could show you a few more divulgars" The slasher in the door moves out of the way.

Oleander smiles. "Yeah, sounds good." He walks out the door and waves. "See you"

"Farewell dear" She waves.

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